112. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will reconsider the nitrates stocking rate map and make an adjustment to the Timoleague catchment stocking rate (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25786/25]

Sentiment score: 0.01

The recent changes made to the nitrates stocking rate map need to be reconsidered. Lowering the stocking rate to 220 kg N/ha in additional areas in west Cork will have minimal, if any, impact on water quality. The Timoleague catchment has demonstrated nitrates concentration in water does not proportionally increase when the stocking rates increase. Will the Minister please reconsider the map and make adjustments? I sent the Minister a more detailed outline of this to which he might have an answer.

Sentiment score: -0.08

I thank the Minister. This valuable catchment, which provides important research findings to the rest of the country through the agricultural catchment programme, will be subject to the stocking reduction of 220 kg N/ha from 1 December. This will make it impossible to decouple and quantify the impact of agricultural measures on water quality from a reduction in stocking rates. In fact, critics of the sector will conveniently assume that any improvements in water quality from now on will be a consequence of a reduced stocking rate limit and ignore all the good work farmers have implemented over the years, which is now delivering. SI 42 of 2025 states clearly that it is within the Minister's gift to determine what areas should be reduced to 220 kg N/ha. Following the interim review of the current and fifth NAP on the grounds of providing valuable scientific research, the Timoleague catchment needs to remain at the stocking rate of 250 kg N/ha. Will the Minister please reconsider the map and make adjustments?

Sentiment score: 0.37

I thank the Minister. I know he said he met the farmers in Timoleague. I think the Taoiseach has met them and the previous Taoiseach met them. The farmers there are doing everything and their utmost, and farmers who pull out all the stops need to be rewarded. It is within the Minister's remit to make changes here and make sure they do not end up in a situation where they are down to 220 kg N/ha on 1 December. It would set a good example to the dairy sector and for farmers who are making such severe efforts to put things right that they are rewarded for doing so. It looks to me as if we are not going to reward these farmers for doing so and we are going to tick the box putting them in the same category as those who did not make an effort. Will the Minister make sure in the next few months that this stocking rate stays at 250 kg N/ha in the Timoleague catchment area to reward the farmers who have worked hard to put things right? They will continue to work hard if that reward is given to them, and I would appreciate it if the Minister would announce that here today.

Sentiment score: 0.28